Envelop-machine.



A. J. AGKERMAN.

ENVELOP MACHINE. APPLIOATIOH nun mm, 7; 190a.

Patented Nov. 1; 1910.

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Wi'tzemrwr.

A. KERMAN. EN MACHINE. APPLICATION nun 1120.1,1909.

974,621 Patentd Nov. 10.

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115567? (Ida/farm.

W g i mze smem I uvewfor.

A. J. AGKERMAN.

BNVELOP MACHINE. APPLIOATION rum) D30. '1, 190a.

Patented Nov. 1

' INVENTOH uflierfzzuial 'ermam A TTOHNEY 1 1n; mums PETER! co.,wAsn/uamu, n. c.

A. J. AGKERMAN.

ENVELOP MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED no. '1 1908.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

'[ SHEETS-SHEET 5.

INVENTOH 2697778070 fiNE) Q ZN Md X

1n: ucmus PETERS cm, v/Asnmc'rou, n. c.

- A. J. AOKERMAN.

ENVELOP MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 7,1908.

Patented Nov. 1,1910.

'! SHEETS-SHEET 6.

W/ TNE SSE S INVENTOH 37567; e]; Mai arm A TTORNE) THE N cRRls PETERScm, wAsmNcmn, u. c.

A. J. AGKERMAN.

ENVELOP MACHINE. Arruonmi nun D30. '1, 1908.

974,621. Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

7 BHSET8-BHEBT 7.

' WITNESSES INVENTOH I c/YZZGI'Z fdcierman: gw

UNITED sTA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT J. ACKERMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES DELUKACSEVICS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ENVELOP-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 7, 1908.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910. Serial No. 466,321.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. ACKERMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in envelop machines andmore especially to the type wherein the envelops are formedautomatically from a continuous web of paper, and it has for its objectprimarily to provide a machine of this class wherein the gumming of thesealing flap or, in some cases, both the gumining of the sealing flapand the printing of the envelop are accomplished initially and prior tothe cutting of the envelop blank from the web after which gummingoperation, the material is passed through an appropriate drying chamberbefore the subsequent operations of creasing, cutting the envelop blanksfrom the web and folding are performed whereby the tendency of thesealing lapel to coil due to the contraction of the gum applied theretoin those cases where the sealing gum is applied after the blank has beencut, is avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide an envelop machine whereinthe material is supplied thereto in the form of a continuous strip orweb, the first operation being the application of the sealing gum uponthose portions of the strip or web which will subsequently form thesealing flaps of the envelops, and to also print the desired inscriptionupon that side of the strip opposite to that which receives the sealinggum. The strip is then conducted through a drying chamber wherein thegum and ink are thoroughly dried, and as the strip leaves the dryingchamber, it passes first between a pair of creasing rollers, thence to apair of cutting rollers which latter rollers cut the envelop blanks fromthe strip. As the latter advances, the envelop blanks will be strippedfrom the web and conducted through a folding device which serves to foldinwardly the end flaps of the blanks. As the blanks progress, gum isapplied to the end flaps and the bottom flap of the envelop is thenfolded and sealed upon the end flaps, the envelops thus formed beingfinally conducted to a stacking device from which the envelops aredelivered.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic machine ofthis class wherein the envelop blanks before leaving the device whichperforms one operation thereon are engaged by the devices which performthe next operation, so that the proper feeding of the blanks to themachine is insured.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved stacking anddelivering device for machines of this class wherein the envelops arestacked and delivered automatically in lots of predetermined num bers.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements,and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinaftermore fully described, the novel features being pointed out particularlyin the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 represents a vertical section ofan envelop machine constructed in accordance with my present invention;Fig. 2 represents a sectional plan view of the machine as shown in Fig.1, that portion thereof in section being taken upon the line 22 of Fig.1; Fig. 3 represents an enlarged sectional elevation of the device forcreasing the web and cutting the blanks therefrom, the devices forfolding and pasting the side and bottom flaps and for delivering thecompleted envelops in predetermined lots; Fig. 4: is a plan view of thatportion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3; Figs. 5 and 6representenlarged sectional elevations of the delivering device, theformer figure showing the mode of folding the sealing flap, and thelatter figure showing the mode of introducing the envelops into thedelivering device when the plunger thereof is elevated; Fig. 7 is adiagrammatic view of the strip or web showing the manner of applying thegum to those portions thereof which will subsequently constitute thesealing flaps of the envelops; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of thestrip showing its condition after passing between the creasing rollers;Fig. 9 is also a diagrammatic view of the strip showing the mode ofcut-ting the envelop blanks therefrom; Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectionalview of the folding device for the bottom flap, the said flap in thisfigure being turned up preparatory to the folding operation,

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 showing the manner of completingthe fold of the bottom flap; Fig. 12 is a detail view of the rotaryknife which cuts the blanks from the strip; Fig. 13 represents atransverse section of this knife on the section line BB of Fig. 12;Figs. 14 and 16 are detail views of the creasing rollers; Figs. 15 and17 are sectional Views of these rollers taken on the lines C0 and DD,respectively, of Figs. 1 1 and 16; Fig. 18 is a side elevation of one'ofthe folding plates for the end flaps of the envelop; Fig. 19 is a planview of the folding plate shown in Fig. 18; Fig. 20 is an end elevationof the said folding plate, and Figs. 21 and 22 are detail views of themechanism for operating the gum-applying roll.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in theseveral views.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown one specific embodiment of theinvention as applied to an envelop-making machine wherein the materialis fed in the form of a continuous strip or web, the operations ofapplying the gum for the sealing flap, printing matter upon the envelop,the creasing of the blank and the cutting of the blank upon the stripbeing all performed before the blanks are separated from the strip sothat the material is fed to the machine with the greatest facility, themachine is capable of operating at comparatively high speed, crumplingor damage to the envelops is avoided, and contraction of the edge of thesealing flap of the envelop is avoided. It will be understood, however,that I have shown but one embodiment of the invention, and that certainmodifications and changes may be made in the relative arrangement of theparts or in the detail construction thereof in order that the inventionmay be applied to the best advantage in each particular case.

In the present instance, the machine comprises a base frame 1 and anupper frame 2 which is superposed thereon, both of these frames beingpreferably in the form of casings whereby they may inclose the variousparts of the machine. l/Vithin the base frame 1 is mounted a compartment8 adapted to contain an electric or other appropriate motor, the shaftof the motor having a bevel gear 4 thereon which cooperates withappropriate gears 5 and 5 arranged on the shafts 6 and 7, respectively,the shaft 6 being provided with a bevel gear 8 which cooperates with asimilar gear 9 mounted upon the shaft of the gumming roller 84 whichapplies the gum to the bottom flap of the envelop, while the shaft 7 isconnected by suitable gearing to the gumming mechanism for the sealingflap and the printing device, the latter mechanism being driven throughthe transmission gear 10 which is connected to the shaft 7. The printingmechanism may be of any appropriate character, and it is thereforeconsidered unnecessary to describe the same in detail, it consisting inthe present instance of a main ink supply roller 16 with which one of aset of supple mental ink rollers 18 cooperates, the supplemental rollersbeing arranged about the periphery of an ink distributing roller 17, theink being supplied from these rollers to an appropriate printing roller19 which is arranged opposite to the cooperating roller 20 and isadapted to apply an appropriate impression to the web as it passesbetween such rollers.

The opposite sides of the'base frame are provided with appropriatebearing brackets 21 to support a paper roll 22 which is carried by ashaft 23, the latter resting upon the bearing brackets, the web of paperfrom the roll passing into the machine in the direction of the arrow Dshown in Fig. 1. The paper strip is initially fed to the machine by apair of feed rollers 2 1 and 25, these feed rollers being driven in anappropriate manner by suitable gearing driven from the shaft 7 and theyare supported in the side frames 26 which carry the printing and gummingdevices for the sealing flap. One of these rollers, the roller 25 in thepresent instance, is preferably covered on its periphery with rubber inorder that it may obtain a proper hold upon the Web without slippage.Adjacent to these feeding rollers are arranged an idler roller 27 and acooperating gum-applying roller 28, the latter having a rib 28 thereonconforming to the shape of the edge of the sealing flap of the envelop,and this rib of the gumming roller is supplied with a suitable gum oradhesive by means of a reciprocatory gumdistribut-ing roller 29, thelatter receiving an appropriate quantity of gum from the gum supplyingroller 80, which roller is arranged within a gum box 81 and is providedwith a cam 32 which rotates therewith and carries the gum-distributingroller 29 into engagement with the gum-applying. roller 28 atappropriate intervals by acting upon the swinging frame 33 whichsupports the said distributing roller, the gum-supplying roller 30revolving continuously so as to insure a proper feed of the gum.

The gum-depositing roller 28 serves to applya strip of gum to the web atappropriate intervals, the web passing from this roller beneath the gumbox and thence to the printing roller 19 which, it will be observed,will apply an appropriate inscription upon the opposite side of the Weband upon such places as will subsequently form a part of the exposedsurface of the envelop. The gum for the sealing flaps of the envelops isapplied to the strip in the manner indicated in Fig. 7 G indicating thegum impression for the sealing flap of each envelop. Adjacent to therollers 19 and 20 are mounted a pairof feed rollers 35 and 36, whichrollers are arranged in cooperative relation and are adapted to receiveand advance the strip between them.

From the printing mechanism and the dc vices for applying the gum forthe sealing flaps of the envelops, the strip is advanced to a dryingchamber whereby the gum and the impressions upon the strip may bethoroughly dried before the subsequent operations are performed upon thestrip. This drying chamber in the present instance is formed within thebase and upper frames of the machine, and it is provided with anentrance roller 37 around which the strip passes after leaving the feedrollers 35 and 36, and it also embodies sets of upper and lower rollers39 and 410. These rollers within the drying chamber are so formed thatthose portions of the strip or web which have received the gum and theimprints will not touch such rollers, that is to say, the middleportions of these rollers are reduced in diameter as shown in Fig. 2,the marginal edges of the strip only contacting with such rollers. Theweb is passed back and forth between these rollers so that aconsiderable portion of the strip is con tained within the drivingchamber, or, in

other words, sufficient time elapses between the entrance of the stripinto the drying chamber and its exit therefrom to insure a thoroughdrying of the gum deposits and the printed matter upon the strip. Thedrying chamber is appropriately heated, electric heating coils 115 beingprovided in the pres ent instance which coils are so arranged as to bedistributed within the folds of the strip.

From the heating chamber, the strip with the gum deposits for thesealing flaps and the imprints passes over a regulating or adjustingroller 111, the latter being supported upon an arm 112 which is pivotedin the upper frame at 113, the regulating or adjusting roller swingingin an are about the pivot 113 as a center and thereby insuring thepassage of the web between the creasing rollers at the proper angle andin such a manner as to insure registration of the folding dies of theserollers with the gummed and printed portions upon the strip. From thisregulating or adjusting device,,the strip passes to a pair of feedrollers 11 and 42,the roller 41 being driven positively by suitablegearing actuated by the shaft 6, while the roller 12 is preferablydriven by friction, a spring 43 controlled by a set-screw 14: serving topress the roller 42 into engagement with the strip so as to preventslippage between it and the positively driven feed roller 11. At thetime the strip reaches these feed rollers, the gummed and printedportions thereon will be thoroughly dry. From the feed rollers a1 and42, the strip passes between a pair of creasing rollers 46 and 17 theroller 16 being preferably driven positively by suitable gearing fromthe shaft 6 while the roller 47 is driven frictionally from the roller46. The feed rollers 11 and a2 and the creasing rollers are alljournaled in an appropriate frame 15 which is mounted within a walledcompartment arranged in the machine frame. These creasing rollers areshown in detail in Figs. 1417,'inelusive, the roller 4-6 having arectangular male die 49 upon its periphery, while the roller at? has acorrespondingly shaped female die 50 formed in its periphery, these diescooperating to crease the strip at those points where the flaps of theenvelop merge into the body portion thereof, this crease being indicatedby the reference character C in Fig. 8.

Below the creasing rollers are mounted a pair of cutting rollers 51 and52, the roller 51 being in the form of a rotary knife having a blade 56arranged around its periphery and conforming in contour to the envelopblank which is to be cut from the strip preparatory to the foldingthereof. This blade or cutting knife is formed of a ribbon of steelwhich is appropriately bent and fitted into the wall of a groove 57which is formed in the periphery of the cutting cylinder, the knifebeing held in position by means of a pliable strip 58 which is screwedor otherwise fastened to the roller and cooperates with a flange uponthe knife blade. This securing strip may be composed of copper andpreferably has its exposed surface beveled toward its opposite longitudinal edges as shown in Fig. 13. The groove which contains the knifeconforms in contour to the outline of the envelop blank, and as theknife blade is confined. within this groove, it will maintain the appropriate form. The roller 52 which cooperates with the rotary knife ispreferably covered with fiber or other suitable material 55, thiscovering of the roller 52 serving as a backing that will enable therotary cutter to effectually sever the blank from the strip withoutbecoming dulled. This roller 52 is held yieldingly in cooperativerelation with the rotary cutter by means of a spring 541 of appropriatestrength.

The strip or web after passing between the cutting rollers has the gumapplied thereto for the sealing flap together with the printing matterthereon, the body of the envelop is creased at the points where theflaps join the same, and the blanks are cut from the strip around theflaps thereof as outlines, the strip being shown in this condition inFig. 9 wherein E designates the blank as it is cut from the strip, 78designates the two end flaps, 83 represents the bottom flap which is tobe pasted and folded down upon the end flaps, and 97 represents thesealing flap which has the gum already applied thereto, this gum on thesealing fiap at this time being perfectly dry.

The next operation upon the strip is to strip the cut blanks therefromand to conduct the waste portion of the strip from the machine. Thisstripping operation is performed by a stripper 59 which is curved to fitaround the lower portion of the cutting roller 51 and it has a pointededge which is arranged immediately below the point of contact betweenthe cutting devices or the cutting rollers 51 and 52. This pointed edgeof the stripper also leads at its outer side to a pair of endlessconveyers or belts 61, the latter being mounted at their upper ends upona pair of rollers 60 and are guided at their lower ends by means ofrollers 62, the proximate faces of these two belts being arranged inclose relation and travel in the same direction so that the marginal orwaste portion 63 of the strip is caused to travel from the machine. Thestripper engages the blanks which have been previously cut from thestrip, deflecting them into a path beneath the cutting roller 51 andupon a horizontally-traveling belt 66. This belt is driven from a roller65 which in turn serves to drive the belts 66 by means of connectingbelts 64. The belt 66 is preferably composed of rubber or otherappropriate material which will obtain the requisite frictional holdupon the blanks, and the upper side of the belt is supported inhorizontal position by means of intermediate rollers 69, 70 and 71 andby means of an end roller 7 2. The roller 65 is driven by a gear 73which is connected by a train of gears 74 and 7 5 to the shaft which isprovided with the driving gear 9, the latter being actuated from theshaft 6 as shown in Fig. 2. This gear 7 3 serves also to drive therollers 41, 46 and 51, the roller 41 having agear thereon, the roller 46having a gear 48 thereon, while the roller 51 is provided with a gear53, these gears being all connected by intermediate or idler gears inorder that they may revolve in the same direction. The stripper 59 byreason of its close proximity to the cutting roller 51 will engage thatportion of the blank which is first cut from the strip and will therebystart the blank around the under side of the roller 51. The remainingportion of the blank is still uncut and it is therefore impossible forthe blank to fall from the strip at this point. As the blank is beingfinally cut from the strip, its forward portion is resting upon the belt66 at which point, a guide 67 is mounted, this guide having its forwardend arranged in immediate proximity to the roller 51. and this guide isof a width equal to the length of the envelop so that the lateral flaps78 of the blank will be exposed at its opposite sides. The belt 66engaging the under side of the blank will cause it to be advancedbeneath the guide. This guide 67 is supported from above by means of across beam 67 which spans the space between the side members of theframe 45. At the opposite sides of the guide 67 are arranged a pair offolding plates 79, these folding plates being shown in detail in Figs.17 to 20, inclusive. Each folding plate has an inclined lifting edge 80which will operate initially to lift the respective end flap of theenvelop, and an overhanging or inwardly extending ledge 81 of thefolding plate will then engage the end flap so as to fold it inwardly,

and a depending edge 82 upon the folding plate will then act upon theflap to depress it and thus carry it into closely folded relation to thebody portion of the blank.

Beyond the guide 67 and folding plates for the end flaps of the envelop,is mounted a gumming roller 84, this gumming roller being mounted upon ashaft 77 which carries the driving gear 9, and this roller has on itsperiphery a gum-applying portion 85 and also a blank-engaging portion 86which is adapted to cotiperate with the folded flaps of the blank andthus draw it into position beneath the roller 84 so that thegum-applying rib 85 thereon will deposit the gum upon the inner marginaledges of the end flaps. This gum-depositing rib 85 upon the gum rolleris supplied with gum by means of a gum-feeding roller 107 which revolvescon tinuously within a gum box 124, and a gumdistributing roller 118which is mounted in a swinging frame 120, this frame when in oneposition causing the distributing roller 118 to cotiperate with theroller 108, and when carried into a second position, to cooperate withthe gum-depositing rib 85 upon the roller 84. Normally, the roller 118is held evenly in engagement with the roller 107 by means of a spring122 which acts upon an extension 121 of the swinging frame 120, and acam 119 which revolves with the roller 107 serves to automatically carrythe roller 118 into a position to apply the gum to the gum-depositingrib 85. While the portion 86 of the roller 84 which serves to introducethe blank beneath this roller is opposite to the roller 118, the latterof course will be in contact with the roller 107 so that it will notapply gum to this part of the gum-applying roller.

Adjacent to the gum-applying roller 84 is mounted a turning and foldingdevice for the bottom flap of the envelop, it being arranged in such aposition that it will engage the rear flap before the portion 86disengages from the blank. This turning and folding device for thebottom flap of the envelop is shown in detail in Figs. 10 and 11, itconsisting of a downwardly extending curved plate 87 which is pivotallymounted at 81 and is provided with a spring 88 which normally acts 0depress it so that its lower edge will rest in immediate proximity tothe upper side of the conveyer belt 66, as shown in Fig. 10. A liftingarm 89 is attached to the plate 87 and is arranged to be actuated by acam projection90 which is arranged at an appropriate point on the shaft77 for the roller 84. At the time the blank passes from beneath theroller 84, the bottom flap of the envelop will project in advance of theblank and the inner marginal edges of the end flaps of the envelop Whichhave gum applied thereto. The blank is fed from beneath the roller 84 bymeans of the raised portion 80 thereon, and the bottom flap of theenvelop L is caused to strike the curved face of the plate 87 this endflap being thereby deflected upwardly, and the moment the body portionof the blank reaches the folding plate, the latter will be elevated bymeans of the cam projection 90 acting upon the arm 89, and as thisfolding plate is elevated, it will provide a sufficient space between itand the conveyer belt 66 to permit the blank to pass beneath it and asthe blank is thus advanced, the bottom flap will be folded down upon thegum portions of the end flaps. Immediately adjacent to the folding plate87 are mounted a pair of pressing rollers 91 and 92, the latter beingarranged in cooperative relation with the rollers 71 and 72 beneath thebelt and these rollers serve the dual function of firmly pressing theflap down upon the gummed end flaps to complete the pasting thereof andto properly feed the envelop to the stacking and delivering device. Thisstack-- ing and delivering device is shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6 and, inthe present instance, it is capable of stacking a predetermined numberof completed envelops and delivering them from the machine in lots. Thedelivering device shown in the accompanying drai ving consists of areceptacle 93 having an end wall 9 1 which is arranged in alinement withthe upper surface of the belt 66., thereby forming an abutment againstwhich the envelops strike when they are discharged by the rollers 91 and92. As the completed envelops pass beneath the rollers 91 and 92 theside flaps are folded inwardly and the bottom flap is folded upon themand pasted although the sealing flap 97 will remain, as yet, unfolded.

Within'the delivering device are mounted a pair of oppositely arrangedserrated blocks 98 which serrated blocks are adapted to engage the topand bottom edges of the envelop as it drops into the receptacle andthereby support the envelop in such a manheight of the envelop, and asit passes into the receptacle, the scaling flap 97 thereon will standvertically, as shown in Fig. 5. Within the receptacle is mounted afollower 95 which is mounted to reciprocate vertically on guides 116, aspring 119 normally operating to lift the follower. the follower is cutout as at 123 so as to form a clearance space to permit the finalfolding of the sealing flap 97 upon the entrance of the next envelopinto the receptacle, such envelop entering the receptacle striking thesealing flap of the topmost envelop therein and thereby causing thefolding of such flap. The blanks are fed intermittently into thereceptacle and the follower is reciprocated at appropriate intervals,that is to say, between the time one envelop is introduced therein andthe time the next envelop follows it. Any suitable means may be employedfor appropriately reciprocating the follower, a cam 117 being shown inthe present instance which acts upon a lug 117, the latter acting uponthe spring 119 to force the follower down into the envelops contained inthe receptacle. At the moment an envelop is being delivered to thereceptacle 93, the sealing flap 97 of the topmost envelop contained inthe receptacle will stand vertically, as shown in Fig. 5, and thefollower 95 is in an elevated position as shown in Fig. 6. The envelopdischarged into the receptacle 93 from the rollers 91 and 92 will firststrike the upstanding sealing flap 97 and fold it down upon itsrespective envelop, the latter envelop striking the wall 9 1 of thereceptacle and then settling down until it reaches the serrated surfaces98 formed in the opposite walls of the receptacle. The follower 95 willthen descend, carrying the envelop just introduced downwardly, and allenvelops which are supported upon the serrated surfaces 98 will be moveddownwardly one step, the lowermost envelop dropping from these serratedsurfaces into the pile of envelops resting upon the bottom 99 0f thereceptacle. After a predetermined number of envelops has accumulated inthe bottom of the receptacle, they are automatically ejected therefrom adistance sufficient to enable the operator to apply a band thereto andto remove the bundle of envelopes from the machine. The ejecting devicein the present instance consists of a revolving disk 10 1 having a can1-shaped projection 105 thereon which is arranged to strike the end of arod 103 at the moment the appropriate number of envelops has accumulatedin the delivering device. This rod 103 is connected to a plunger 100which is mounted to enter one end of, and to reciprocate partiallyacross the bottom 99 of the receptacle, this plunger being of a heightequal to that of a pile of envelops of the desired number to bedischarged. A spring The under side of 102 normally serves to hold thisplunger in an inoperative position, and when the disk 10 i reaches sucha position as to bring the cam projection 105 thereon into engagementwith the rod 103, the action of this spring 102 will be overcome and theplunger will be forced inwardly into the lower portion of thereceptacle, causing an appropriate number of envelops to be partiallyejected from the opposite end of the receptacle which is left open forthis purpose. The disk 10% in the present instance is so arranged as torotate once for each discharging operation, and in order to accomplishthis result, the shaft upon which the disk is mounted is provided with aratchet wheel 106 which contains teeth of a number corresponding to thenumber of envelops to be discharged at each operation. An actuating pawl110 cooperates with this wheel, this pawl being mounted upon a pivotedarm 109 and this arm is operated once each time an envelop is deliveredinto the receptacle 93, a cam projection 108 being mounted to rotatewith the gumfsupplying roller 10? in order to accomplish this result.

According to the present invention, the application of the gum for thesealing fiap is applied to that portion of the strip or web which willsubsequently form the sealing flap of the envelop, but as this portionof the flap at this time forms a part of the strip, it is obvious thatsuch contraction as may be caused by the drying of the gum will beuniform so that coiling of the flap as happens in those cases where thegum is applied after the envelop has been cut, is avoided. Theapplication of the gum for the sealing flap of the envelop and also theprinting thereof are accomplished before the subsequent operations ofcreasing, cutting and folding the blank are effected, the strip afterthe application of the gum for the sealing flap and after printing,passing first into a drying chamber so that the ini tially-applied gumand printing matter will be thoroughly dry before the subsequentoperations are performed thereon. According to the present invention,the various operations are performed by a continuous rottion of thevarious rollers, and the various feeding rollers and their operatingparts are so associated that the portion of the strip containing theblank does not wholly leave one pair of rollers before it is engaged bythe next pair, a positive feed of the strip being thereby insured andregistration of the different portions of the strip with the deviceswhich perform the respective operations thereon is effected. By creasingthe inner margins of the flaps preparatory to the folding operation, anabsolutely correct folding of the flaps on the creased lines is insured,the envelops being perfectly square and none of its flaps will beimperfectly folded, and as this creasing operation is performed whilethe material is in the form of a strip, a proper positioning of thecreasing lines with respect to that portion of the strip which is tosubsequently form the envelop blank is obtained. By arranging thecreasing devices in immediate proximity to the cutting rollers, thestrip is positively advanced from the creasing rollers to the cuttingrollers, and an accurate registration of those portions of the strip toform the blank, with the cutting rollers is insured. Moreover, from thetime the material enters the machine in the form of a continuous stripof paper until it leaves the machine in the form of completed envelops,all operations involved in the formation of the envelops areaccomplished automatically.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a Web ofpaper to the machine, a device for applying a transverse line of gum tothose portions of the web which are subsequently to constitute thesealing flaps of the envelops, a drying chamber arranged to receive theweb after the said application of gum thereto, creasing devicesoperative on the web to form longitudinal and transverse creases whichdefine the face or body of the envelop, knives operative upon the web onlines wholly within the marginal edges thereof for severing the blanksfrom the web whereby the remainder of the web is in the form of acontinuous strip, a stripper for removing the severed blanks from theweb, and a conveyer for drawing the remaining portion of the web fromthe machine in the form of a continuous strip.

2. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a web ofpaper to the machine, a device for applying at appropriate intervalstransverse lines of gum to those portions of the web which aresubsequently to constitute the sealing flaps of the envelops, a printingdevice for making imprints at appropriate intervals on the Web at theopposite side from that which receives the gum, a drying chamberarranged to receive the web after the gum and imprints have been appliedthereto, creasing devices operative on the web to form longitudinal andtransverse creases which define the body of the envelop, knivesoperative upon the web on lines wholly within the marginal edges thereoffor severing the blanks from the web whereby the remainder of the web isin the form of a continuous strip, a stripper for removing the severedblanks from the web, and means for drawing the continuous remainingportion of the web from the machine.

3. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a web ofpaper to the machine, a gumming device for applying a line of gum to theweb in a direction transversely thereof and to those portions of the webwhich are subsequently to constitute the sealing flaps of the envelops,creasing devices having rectangular dies cooperating with the web toform rectangular indentations conforming to the outline of the body ofthe envelop which indentations are located in the previously gunn'nedside of the web, and means for severing the blanks fromthe web, on lineswholly within the marginal edges of the web whereby the remainder of theweb is in the form of a continuous strip, a stripper for removing thesevered blanks from the web, and means for drawing the continuousremainder of the web from the machine.

4. In an envelop machine, the combination of' means for feeding a web ofpaper thereto, a device for applying transversely extending lines of gumto those portions of the web which are to constitute the sealing flapsof the envelops, creasing devices having coacting male and female diescooperative with the web to form rectangular indentations conforming tothe outline of the body of the envelop in that side of the web to whichthe said lines of gum have been applied, knives for severing the blanksfrom the web on lines wholly within the marginal edges of the webwhereby the remainder of the web is in the form of a continuous strip, astripper for removing the severed blanks from the web, means for drawingthe continuous remainder of the web from the machine, folding devicesfor turning inwardly the end flaps, a gumming device for applying gum tothe inturned end flaps of the envelop, and means for folding andpressing the bottom flap of the envelop upon the inturned and gummed endflaps.

5. In an envelop machine, the combination ofmeans for feeding acontinuous web of paper to the machine, a gumming device forapplyingtransversely extending lines of gum to those portions of the webwhich are subsequently to constitute the sealing flaps of the envelops,creasing devices for forming rectangular indentations at that side ofthe web to which the said gum has been applied, said indentations havingan outline corresponding to the body of the envelop, cutting devices forsevering the blanks from the web on the lines contained wholly withinthe lateral edges of the web, a stripper for removing the severed blanksfrom the web and directing the continuous remainder of the web from thepath of the blanks, a folding device for turning inwardly the end flapsof the blanks, a device for applying gum to the inturned end flaps, adevice for turning the bottom flap upon the gummed end flaps, and meansfor pressing the bottom flap to such gummed end flaps.

6. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a web ofpaper to the machine, a device for applying gum at appropriate intervalsto the web, a creas ing device having rectangular dies cooperative withthe web after the gumined portions thereof have been dried to formoffsets in the web corresponding in size and shape to that of th face orbody of the envelops, a device for severing the envelop blanks from thestrip, a stripper for removing the sevcred blanks from the web anddivert-ing the continuous remainder of the web from the path of thesevered blanks, a conveyer operative upon the continuous remainder ofthe web to draw it continuously from the machine, a device for foldingthe end flaps of the envelop inwardly and in a direction transverse tothe line of movement thereof, a device for pasting the end flaps, meansfor folding the bottom flap of the envelop and pressing it upon the endflaps, and means for finally folding the previously gummed sealing flap.

7. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a web ofpaper to the machine, a device for applying gum at appropriate intervalsto the web, a drying chamber through which the web passes after saidapplication of gum thereto, a device for creasing the strip on linesextending both longitudinally and transversely of the web upon whichlines the flaps of the envelops are to be folded, the creasing deviceadapted to receive the web after its passage through the drying chamber,means for severing the creased blanks from the strip, a curved platemovable transversely of the line of movement of the blank for foldingthe end flaps of the blank after being severed from the strip, and adevice for pasting the bottom flap to the end flaps of the envelop.

8. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a web ofpaper to the machine, a device for applying gum at intervals to thoseportions of the strip which are to subsequently constitute the sealingflaps of the envelops, a drying chamber arranged to receive the stripafter the said application of gum thereto, a pair of creasing rollersarranged to operate upon the web after its passage through the dryingchamber to crease the web at one operation on lines which define theface or body of the envelop, a pair of cutting rollers arranged toreceive the web from the creasing rollers and to sever the envelopblanks from the web, a stripper for removing the severed blanks from theweb, a folding device arranged to receive the blanks from the stripperand to fold the end flaps, and means for folding and pasting the bottomflap of the envelop to the side flaps thereof.

9. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a web ofpaper thereto, a device for applying gum at appropriatc intervals to thestrip, a drying chamber arranged to receive the web after the saidapplication of gum thereto, a pair of creasing rollers arranged tooperate upon the web after its passage through the drying chamber tocrease the web on lines which define the face or body of the envelop, apair of cutting rollers arranged to receive the web from the creasingrollers to sever the envelop blanks from the web, a stripper forremoving the severed blanks from the web, a pair of conveyers arrangedto receive the Web after the removal of the envelop blanks therefrom, afolding device arranged to receive the severed blanks from the stripperand to fold their end flaps, and a device for folding and pasting thebottom flap to the end flaps of each blank.

10. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a web ofpaper thereto, a device for applying gum at appropriate intervals to theweb, a drying chamber arranged to receive the web after the applicationof gum thereto, a pair of creasing rollers arranged to receive thegummed web after its passage through the drying chamber, and acompensating device interposed between the creasing rollers and thedrying chamber and cooperative with the web as it leaves such dryingchamber whereby those portions of the web which are creased by thecreasing rollers will register appropriately with the gummed portions ofthe web.

11. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a web ofpaper thereto, creasing rollers arranged to cooperate with the web andcapable of creasing the latter at one operation on longitudinal andtransverse lines which completely define the face or body of theenvelop, a device for severing the envelop blanks from the web after thecreasing operation is performed upon the web, a stripper arranged toremove the severed blanks from the web, a conveyer, a folding devicearranged in cooperative relation with the conveyer and arranged toreceive the blanks from the stripper, said folding device operating tofold the end flaps of the blanks, a folding plate also arranged incooperative relation with said conveyer and operative to engage the 7bottom flap of the envelop blank and fold it upon the end flaps, and apasting device for applying gum to the end flaps prior to the folding ofthe bottom flap.

12. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a web ofpaper to the machine, a device for applying gum to those portions of thestrip which are to subsequently constitute the sealing flaps of theenvelop, a pair of creasin rollers arranged to operate upon the webafter the said application of gum thereto to crease the web onlongitudinal and transverse lines which define the face or body of theenvelop, a pair of severing rollers arranged to operate upon thecreased. portions of the web before the creasing operation has beencompleted by the creasing rollers, a device for stripping the severedblanks from the web, a conveyer anda folding device arranged to receivethe blank before the same has been fully severed from the web, foldingplates for turning the end flaps of the envelops, a gumming rollerarranged to apply gum to the inner marginal edges of the end flapsbefore the blank has left the folding plates, a device arranged tocooperate with the blank to turn and fold its bottom flap over the endflaps before the blank has left the gum applying roller, and adelivering device arranged to receive the completed envelops.

13. The combination with an envelop making machine having means capableof creasing blanks on lines which define the face or body of theenvelop, and devices for folding and pasting the end and bottom flaps,of a delivering device having a receptacle, means for conveying theenvelops to said receptacle with their sealing flaps creased, and adeflector arranged to cooperate with the en velops as they areintroduced into said receptacle for so directing them as to cause theclosing of the sealing flap on the envelop by the entrance of the nextsucceeding envelop into the receptacle.

14:. In an envelop machine, the combination of means for feeding a stripof paper to the machine, a device for applying at intervals transverselines of gum to those portions of the strip which are subsequently toconstitute sealing flaps of the envelop, a drying chamber arranged toreceive the strip after the application of said gum thereto, a devicefor creasing the strip at one operation both on longitudinal andtransverse lines which define the face or body of the envelop, means toreceive the creased strip and to sever the envelop forms from theremainder of the strip, means to receive the severed envelop forms andto fold their end flaps inwardly transverse to the direction of movementof the forms, and an intermittently operating device for folding thebottom flap of the envelop form upon the folded end flaps, the variousoperations being performed while the envelop form is advancedcontinuously.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT J. ACKERMAN.

V'Vitnesses:

PAUL T. TRENTLER, GEO. PLACE.

